


No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

by janey_p



Series: Fluffvember 2020 [8]
Category: Magnum P.I. (TV 2018)
Genre: Established Relationship, Family Issues, Fluff, Fluffvember 2020, Kinda..., M/M, Prompt Fill, Snowball Fight, Teasing, Vacation, Winter, grown men acting like kids for a bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:28:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27443404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janey_p/pseuds/janey_p
Summary: Thomas had just wanted to take Gordon’s thoughts off the impending “family reunion” for a moment. He hadn’t expected it to go like this…
Relationships: Gordon Katsumoto/Thomas Sullivan Magnum IV
Series: Fluffvember 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1992121
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #8: **Having a snowball fight.**
> 
> Stories in the same universe: [Hug Me?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27597833), [Hug Me Again?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27662735) and [Fowl Play](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27733135)
> 
> This is the third and last of the “Watch me!” prompts. Because a snowball fight? In Hawaii? Not likely!
> 
> I could have made my life a little easier if I had just sent them on vacation at some unnamed place that gets snow, but apparently I can’t do easy… Gotta have a _back-story_. *rolls eyes*

Gordon had been grumpy ever since touchdown at New Chitose Airport. Thomas would have liked to lighten the mood with a comment or two, but that felt somewhat inappropriate, considering the circumstances. Gordon had shot him several suspicious glances during the drive to their hotel that Thomas refused to be insulted by. He did know when to be serious, after all, even if he wasn’t all that often. 

Besides, he should probably set a good example for Dennis. The teen had fallen asleep in the backseat of their rental car pretty much as soon as they’d hit the road, but who knew when he would wake up again? If he caught them squabbling like children, Thomas might lose his cool guy status—and that wouldn’t do at all! 

With nothing to do but looking out of the window, he started wondering how much longer they would be on the road. The farther away they’d gotten from the airport, the whiter their surroundings had turned. Seeing all that snow made him shiver repeatedly. He turned the heat up another notch.

“If you keep doing that, you’ll hate getting out of the car when we arrive,” Gordon told him, rather drily, and Thomas couldn’t take it anymore.

“When _will_ we arrive? It feels like we’ve been driving forever. I’m kinda expecting to see a sign that announces the end of the world any minute now.”

His dramatics earned him a snort, which he counted as a win. A fondly exasperated Gordon was better than a brooding Gordon, after all.

“Hardly. There’s plenty of landmass ahead of us. And maybe another ten to fifteen minutes until we’re there. So let me do you a favor…”

When Gordon turned down the heat again, Thomas was tempted to interfere. But snowy roads and distracted drivers were never a good mix, so he’d just have to endure the torture like a man.

*** * ***

Okay. So… Thomas had to take it back. _This_ was torture. And not just because Gordon had turned out to be right about the freezing cold. No, it was also the fact that the “hotel” they were staying at was just a guest house right on the edge of a tiny village adjoining to a much bigger forest.

There wouldn’t be anything for him to distract himself with during the hours that Gordon and Dennis would be gone tomorrow afternoon.

“I really wish I could come with you,” he sighed and had to watch Gordon’s expression turn regretful.

“I know. And I’d have preferred to have you close, too. But uncle Hiroshi had been adamant that the reading of his will should be a family-only event. Not even my father is allowed to go since he’s not blood-related, and Hiroshi had actually liked him.”

“So, where is the rest of your family staying? And where will the will be read? This village doesn’t look big enough to house everyone, let alone to have a notary’s office.”

“Most of them are staying in the town we passed about two miles back. And the notary’s going to read the will in Hiroshi’s old house over there.”

“Why are we _here_ , then?”

“Because it’s cheaper, and I booked it before any of them could. I kinda enjoy the thought of them having had to book the more expensive accommodations. It’s closer to the house, sure, but the lot of them are stingy bastards, and it serves them right,” Gordon said with a satisfied smirk. “Besides, I don’t want to deal with them for longer than I have to. This is just far enough away that they won’t bother to come over. They’d only ruin the few days we’re staying here, and I’d rather spend them relaxing once everything with the will is sorted out.”

Thomas had to admit he’d been curious about Gordon’s family—would have liked to meet them just to see how they measured up against Gordon—but apparently, they wouldn’t be worth his time.

Good for him that Gordon’s branch of the family had turned out to be decent people…

*** * ***

The next morning, Thomas and Gordon were having breakfast on their own, after Dennis had insisted they weren’t allowed to disturb him before lunch. Not that Thomas minded. He intended to take full advantage of the few hours they’d have all to themselves. Which was why he almost choked on his coffee when Gordon suggested they’d take a walk once they had finished eating.

He was about to protest when he noticed the pensive look on Gordon’s face. Right. Gordon would be cooped up in close quarters all afternoon with people he didn’t like, barring two exceptions. Thomas could understand the urge to get some space while he still could.

Gordon must have guessed the reason for his hesitation, though, because he managed to produce a tiny grin.

“Come on, it’s warmer than it was yesterday. No danger of getting snap-frozen, I promise!”

“I checked the thermometer before breakfast. It’s still several degrees below freezing. There’s no way that ‘warmer’ is an appropriate word to describe what’s going on outside.”

“Please?”

Oh, wow! Thomas had been accused of having killer puppy eyes by many people in his lifetime. But he refused to believe he was as efficient as Gordon at getting his way. Because all it took for Thomas to fold was a single, quietly asked word. Just that, not even a change in Gordon’s expression.

Thomas was _so_ whipped! 

But that didn’t mean he’d risk his death, so Gordon should really stop shaking his head at him when they left the guest house half an hour later.

*** * ***

Thomas wasn’t sure how long they’d been walking by the time the sun suddenly broke through the clouds and made the snow all around them sparkle. Gordon had fallen silent a while ago, which Thomas didn’t mind so much, and started to frown a little later, which Thomas minded a lot. The purpose of their walk had been to keep Gordon’s mind off the coming afternoon, after all. 

When Thomas slowed down to think about a solution to the problem, Gordon didn’t even notice and was a few paces ahead of him in no time. Thomas narrowed his eyes at Gordon’s back and decided on doing something drastic to get him out of his funk.

It wasn’t easy to make a decently-sized snowball that would keep its form while wearing gloves. But Thomas managed it on the second try and sent it flying. It hit Gordon between the shoulder blades and stopped him in his tracks.

And then Thomas swore that time must have skipped a minute or two because the next thing he knew, a snowball came sailing right back at him. Since he was too stunned to duck, it burst on his chest and sent him stumbling back a step.

For a long moment, they stared at each other, and Thomas wondered if this was what a standoff between gunslingers used to feel like. But the tiniest shift in Gordon’s posture made him burst into action. Because as unexpected as Gordon’s swift retaliation had been, Thomas knew his tells and realized that he was about to escalate this into a no-holds-barred battle. All it came down to now was who would throw the fastest and have the best aim.

*** * ***

The tackle came out of nowhere. Sure, Gordon had been gaining ground from the very beginning, but how he had crossed the last few yards this quickly, Thomas didn’t know. So, now they were lying in the snow, a cloud of disturbed flakes glittering all around them. The whole scene had an otherworldly feeling to it, and Thomas was mesmerized.

Until Gordon started chuckling, that was.

“What’s so funny?” Thomas asked suspiciously.

“You. Looking like you want to go on an arctic expedition. Aren’t you overheating in all these layers?”

Well, _right now_ , the thick coat, woolen hat, padded gloves, and ridiculously soft scarf were feeling a little like overkill. But when Thomas had put them on, he had dressed for a leisurely walk, not for a brawl. It had been years since he’d experienced a real winter, so who could blame him for playing it safe?

Gordon could, apparently, since he just kept smirking down at him.

So Thomas opted for a pointed “if we keep lying here, you’ll start wishing you had ‘all these layers,’ too.”

Thankfully, Gordon took the hint and helped him get out of the snowbank they’d landed in. Then he brushed off some of the snow that clung to their clothes, which sent some flakes sliding down Thomas’s neck and made him shiver.

Gordon shook his head at him. “I hope you realize that your current discomfort is your own fault. Have you learned your lesson?”

“Which lesson?”

“That you shouldn’t start a fight that you’re not absolutely sure you can win, of course.”

“I only wanted you to stop frowning. You weren’t supposed to fight back, let alone best me,” Thomas pouted.

“That’s a thing you should remember if you ever feel the urge to attack me again,” Gordon said, sounding smug. “Now, let’s head back. I’m getting hungry.”

*** * ***

When the guest house came into view again, Thomas was still grumbling about having lost. It made Gordon snake an arm around his waist and pull him close.

“You handicapped yourself, bundled up as you are. You weren’t able to move very fast, and the gloves were making you clumsy.”

“My coat and gloves have kept me from freezing,” he replied indignantly. “My hands are still warm, while yours could pass as ice blocks by now.”

Thomas was proven right when Gordon’s right hand made its way inside Thomas’s coat. His shocked yell when it bypassed his sweater and made contact with his skin echoed eerily for a moment and startled a couple of birds into taking flight.

Gordon burst out laughing at Thomas’s mortified expression. He’d pay for that, Thomas decided. But first, he’d have to get out of the open, where anyone could identify him as the source of the yell.

“Inside, _now_. Shower. Hot chocolate!” he hissed through his teeth. “And while you’re out later, I’m gonna steal the book you couldn’t stop reading during the flight. You might not get it back if it’s good.”

“If you catch up to where I’m at right now, we can read the rest of it together.”

Aaand… there went his plan to punish Gordon. Now he wanted nothing more than hours in bed, wrapped around each other, and taking turns at reading aloud. 

It was very convenient that Dennis had his own room in the guest house and his own means to keep himself entertained. Because Thomas was determined to spend the rest of their short vacation exactly like this.

**Author's Note:**

> Since we know nothing about Gordon’s extended family, I decided to give him a bunch of estranged relatives and an eccentric uncle who decided to stick it to them even after death.  
> Why did he only allow blood-related family members to attend the reading of his will? Who knows? Maybe he wanted to dish out some juicy family secret… He didn’t tell me, as I’m not family either. ;)
> 
> Also, I actually went and researched locations on Hokkaido for this. I didn’t name any places but the airport to keep it ambiguous enough to be almost anywhere on the island, but I did consult the map quite often anyway. I hope that, if the descriptions make the places recognizable to locals, I didn’t botch it up too badly. :P


End file.
